


In Which Newton Geiszler Teaches Preschool and Hannibal Chau is Not A Supervillain

by aunt_zelda



Series: Politicians and Preschool Teachers [1]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Children, Community: pacificrimkink, Cute Kids, Kid Fic, M/M, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-22
Updated: 2013-10-22
Packaged: 2017-12-30 03:07:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1013357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aunt_zelda/pseuds/aunt_zelda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Newton Geiszler is a preschool teacher to some rather unruly children, including Raleigh Becket, Mako Mori, and Chuck Hansen. He loves his job, writes Kaiju picture books, and bickers with Hermann, the math teacher who works nights at the university across town. </p><p>One day a prospective donor visits the school and Newt is smitten, despite, or perhaps because of, his rakish appearance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Which Newton Geiszler Teaches Preschool and Hannibal Chau is Not A Supervillain

**Author's Note:**

> ... what the hell did I just write.
> 
> Um, so there was this prompt on the Kink Meme:  
> http://pacificrimkink.livejournal.com/2747.html?thread=3661499#t3661499  
>  _Newt is a preschool teacher at the Pan Pacific Preschool. Everyday he plays with his students, little Raleigh, Mako, and Chuck (who transferred from Australia and has a funny accent — breaking up his fight with Raleigh is an everyday thing), teaching them to read and reading them kaiju stories. He also often fights with the math teacher, Hermann.  
>  One day land shark Hannibal comes to buy the preschool from headmaster Stacker (or maybe just visiting, but he looks evil) so the kids from Newt's class all planned a siege to attack the villain when he came out of the principal's office. Newt came over to get them and apologize.  
> The next time Hannibal came again, he left Newt with his card and a standing invitation for lunch.  
> In other words, romcom Newt as a preschool teacher with mini deaged PPDC. OP would be very happy with Newtibal but if you want to keep it gen I don't mind it either._
> 
> And I couldn't resist. I just ... it's so ... cute. And adorable. What the ... what? What did I just write? I feel ... funny ... 
> 
> This is the cutest thing I've ever written. I'm kind of stunned.

Newt loves his job. Really, he does. Kids are _awesome_. Everything is new and interesting and exciting to them. They create without a care for rules, they have boundless energy …

“Booger-face!”

… and a blessedly limited vocabulary, at this point.

Newt goes to the source of the miniature shouting match. Raleigh Beckett and Chuck Hansen are fighting. Again. Some more. They have been every day for the past two weeks, ever since Chuck arrived. His family moved here from Australia. Raleigh has been teasing him about his accent. Chuck has been responding with insults and claiming all the toy robots for himself. 

The toy robots are in high demand. Everybody wants to play with one. (Newt designed them himself, they’re pretty cool if he does say so himself.) But there’s only so many to go around, and people have to partner up usually if they want to play with one. It’s a way to teach the importance of sharing and teamwork, one of many Newt employs in the preschool. 

“Now, what’s going on here, little dudes?” Newt asks, crouching down. 

Raleigh and Chuck are glaring at each other, red-faced and indignant. 

Raleigh used to be a good kid. Then his brother Yancy – older by about ten months – graduated to kindergarten. Raleigh’s been acting out a lot ever since. And this thing with Chuck is getting out of hand.

“Booger-face keeps makin’ fun of me.” Chuck glowers. 

“My name is _Raleigh_ ,” Raleigh tugs on Newt’s arm. “He’s hogging all the robots and he made Mako-chan cry.”

Newt’s eyebrows go up: this is a new development. “Is that true, Chuck?” he asks.

Chuck scuffs his shoes on the ground and hugs a robot tightly to his chest. 

“Chuck,” Newt says, a warning tone in his voice. “Tell me what happened.”

“… just … I just …” Chuck starts crying. “Rally has all the friends! It’s not fair! He and Mako got married and they didn’t let me help!”

Newt pretends to clean his glasses, taking a moment to think. “Marriages” on the playground come and go, kids pretending to be mommies and daddies and all. It’s not unusual, though a bit weird to get used to different terminologies between adult meanings for words and how kids interpret them. What Chuck means by “got married” is probably something more like Raleigh and Mako holding hands while sliding down the slide together and promising to share robots forever and evers. 

“Chuck,” Newt pinches the bridge of his nose and tries to stay sane. “They didn’t let you help because you keep calling Raleigh mean names. That hurts their feelings. If you hurt someone’s feelings, they don’t want to be friends with you.”

Chuck sniffles and rubs his face on his sleeve.

“Here,” Newt fishes some tissues out of his pocket and helps Chuck blow his nose. “Now, I’m sure Raleigh will be happy to play with you, and introduce you to some of the other kids, if you apologize to him, and Mako, and share the robots.”

Chuck blows his nose one more time, then turns to Raleigh. “’m sor …” he mumbles.

“A little louder?” Newt presses. 

“I’M SORRY!” Chuck yells. 

Newt feels his ears ring. “Ok. Now, Raleigh, do you have anything to say to Chuck? It’s not his fault he’s having trouble saying your name. Remember when you couldn’t pronounce Mako’s name?”

Raleigh blushes and looks away. “Yeah …” he admits, squirming uncomfortably. 

“Now, what do you say to Chuck?” Newt says.

“I’m … sorry.” Raleigh crosses his arms.

Chuck throws a toy robot at Raleigh and runs away to the other side of the playground.

Newt stands up, sighing heavily. 

Raleigh jumps up and down and runs over to Mako, who’s been sitting in the sandbox. She hugs him and they start playing with the robot, making it smash little sand castles and rescue tiny dolls from imaginary monsters. 

After a while, Chuck sneaks over, clutching a robot like a little shield. He and Mako and Raleigh stare at each other for a while. Chuck mumbles something to Mako, who nods, and then they all start playing with the robots together. 

Newt smiles: now that’s more like it. 

~*~

This is Newt’s favorite part of the day. The kids are all sitting around and he gets to finally sit down, in a rocking chair, and read. He loves reading to the kids, it’s the only time he can get any of them to sit still for more than five seconds. Plus, it’s super fun, he can do all kinds of silly voices and make the kids giggle. If there’s something better in life, Newt hasn’t found it yet. 

Newt loves to translate Japanese picture books and read them out, getting really enthusiastic about the Mech vs. Kaiju battles and making sound effects to go along with them. He’s written a few himself, and even has a couple published, not much money from the sales but enough to supplement his income. The kids love the books, and once they’re properly tired out, it’s naptime.

Naptime is wonderful. Newt rocks in his chair, watches the kids sort out blankets on their little cots, and drift off to sleep. Some of the older kids aren’t sleeping anymore, but they know it’s quiet time and just lay still and whisper to each other when they think Newt isn’t paying attention. (Newt is always paying attention. He’s totally got eyes in the back of his head, he’s even convinced a couple kids with the aid of some glowing lights hidden in his hair.)

On rainy days there’s a movie in the afternoon, on sunny days the kids run rampant outside on the playground. Newt settles arguments and pushes them on the swings, gets his jeans caked in mud and his shirts streaked with grass stains. 

~*~

Hermann is the math teacher. He teaches at the preschool during the day, and lectures at a local college at night. Hermann is working on some equation at the college, something big and insanely complicated. He claims that running basics with children keeps his mind sharp and active. Newt knows that Hermann just likes the kids, tries to pass it off as academic exercises but really he’s just one big softie in a grumpy package. 

They … ok, they fight. Bicker. Whatever. It’s all in good fun. The kids giggle and Hermann starts ranting in German to Newt about the importance of keeping discipline and Newt just grins at him until he storms off in a huff. 

“I don’t know where you get your energy,” Hermann confesses one afternoon. The kids have all left, and he and Newt are waiting for their respective busses. Hermann is gnawing an apple. Newt is eating what’s left of his bento (he didn’t get to finish because Chuck and Raleigh started a food fight, and Sasha and Aleksis took Mako hostage under the table and it was all just a big mess.)

“From them, dude! They’re so amazing! Tiny little brains, learning everything they can!”

Hermann sighs as Newt continues to gush about the kids, nodding in places and making “mmm” noises. Their busses arrive, and he and Newt part for the night. 

~*~

Newt leaves the kids with Hermann for a few minutes, being in desperate need of a bathroom break and an energy bar. As he’s heading back to the classroom he runs into Principal Stacker and a man, exiting Stacker’s office. 

“Ah, Mr. Geizsler,” Stacker frowns. “Trouble in your class?”

“Trouble? What? No trouble! I just needed a five minute break. Herms is watching them.” Newt looks at the man beside Stacker. He kind of invites staring, he’s got opaque glasses and a scar running along his face, and a pretty flashy wardrobe, all bright reds and gold embroidery. He doesn’t look like a parent or a teacher, he looks like … well, a gangster. 

“This is Mr. Chau, he’s looking to make some donations to our facilities.” Stacker puts a hand on Newt’s shoulder. “This is Mr. Newton Geiszler. He teaches our preschool class.”

“Geiszler?” Chau shakes Newt’s hand. Newt tries not to stare at the tattoos on his fingers, or the oh-my-god-so-not-fake rings. 

“Yeah, that’s my name.” Newt grins, taking a chance, because underneath the flashy outfit the guy is kind of attractive, “Most people call me Newt though.”

“Newt Geiszler … hang on, you write kid’s books!” 

Newt beams. “Yeah, I do!” He’s hardly ever recognized, this is kind of awesome. 

“My sister’s kids love those. Got ’em some copies for Hanukkah, wouldn’t stop jabberin’ about the kaiju for months.” Chau smirks. “You got real talent, kid.”

Newt blushes, scuffing his sneakers on the floor. Oh yeah, Chau is totally flirting with him now. _Score_. Teaching preschool doesn’t exactly provide many opportunities for meeting potential dates, and he’s way too tired to go clubbing these days. 

“If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen, I have a conference call to get to,” Stack gives Newt a wink and shakes Chau’s hand again before leaving. 

“I’ll, uh, walk you out?” Newt suggests, gulping.

“Thanks,” Chau waves a hand around. “This place is a maze, I’m completely lost.”

Newt laughs, and starts to walk Chau to the front door. He’s got a time limit. He’s gotta figure out how to ask Chau out before they read the doors. 

Occupied such thoughts, Newt completely misses the sounds of the approaching children. 

“ATTACK!” Raleigh yells.

The kids heave water balloons at Hannibal Chau, mostly hitting the floor, the walls, and his feet. They don’t have very strong arms, or good aim.

The kids cheer and flee in terror/triumph down the hall. 

Hannibal steps around the puddles and raises one eyebrow. 

Newt, beyond mortification, makes a small squeaky sound. “I’ll just … go … get them … and … make them apologize!” he yelps, before skittering off. 

It doesn’t take much to get the kids to come back. When Newt gets mad, he gets _really_ mad, and they all get really scared when he’s “very disappointed” with them. Mako-chan is clinging to Raleigh’s right hand, and Chuck is clinging to his left. Newt would think that was adorable if he weren’t so furious at them. 

“Apologize to the nice man!” Newt snaps. “That was very rude of you, all of you! I can’t believe you did that! No movies for a whole week! _And_ I’m taking the robots away!”

The little wails the kids make just about break Newt’s heart.

“Hey, teach, don’t worry about it.” Hannibal Chau says, waving a giant hand in the air. 

“They attacked you with water balloons, dude, that is _so not cool_!” Newt directs this last bit to the kids. Mako is definitely crying now. So is Chuck, but he keeps rubbing his face on Raleigh’s shirt to hide it. 

“Eh, I get worse from my ex. They’re just kids having fun.” Hannibal crouches down and gets face to face with Raleigh. “You’re the little leader?”

Raleigh sticks out his chin. “Yuh-huh.”

“What’s your beef with me? You think I’m some kinda supervillain?”

Raleigh screws up his face in concentration. “You look like a bad guy.”

“Yeah, I do,” Hannibal laughs. “I wish it’d been some kind of toxic waste. Then I’d have superpowers. I was in a car accident a few years ago, that’s how I got this scar.” He pushes up his opaque sunglasses, letting the kids see the thick scar running over his eye.

The kids go “ooooooo!” and squeal, inching closer and staring. 

Newt stifles his urge to reprimand the children for staring at someone with an injury. He knows that Hannibal is only trying to win their trust, and doing a damn good job of it. Newt’s not about to ruin that. 

The kids apologize, and Hannibal accepts, and they troop back to the classroom. 

Newt shakes his head, glaring at their backs. “No movies for a week.”

“Don’t take their robots away, teach. They were just protecting you.” Hannibal polishes his glasses on his jacket.

Newt sighs. “You’re right. Still wasn’t ok.” Newt scratches the back of his head. “So … er … this is gonna be really awkward but … if I give you my number, can you at least pretend you’ll call me up?”

Chau produces a business card from nowhere, holds it out between two fingers. “I’ll do you one better, teach. _You_ can call _me_.”

Newt takes the card. It’s got an official company logo on the front, with contact info, and on the back is a handwritten number in red pen.

“I’ll take you somewhere someone with a teacher’s salary can’t afford.”

“You don’t know what my bank account looks like,” Newt says, before he can stop running his mouth. “I could be, like, making meth in my basement or something!”

Chau laughs. “Somehow, I don’t think you’re the type. We can go Dutch, if that makes you feel better.”

Newt nods. “It does. For the first date, at least.”

Chau chuckles. “Haven’t been on a ‘date’ in a while. This’ll be nice.” He nods to the card. “Call me, teach.”

He heads for the door. 

Newt suddenly realizes something. “Hang on, what’s your first name?!”

Chau turns around, shoes clinking on the floor. “Hannibal.”

“No way.”

“Says the guy called ‘Newt.’” Hannibal Chau smirks, and Newt counts at least three gold teeth. “Call me.”

Then he’s gone.

Newt gulps, pockets the card, and heads back to his classroom, stamping all of that down until he has time to deal with it.

Herman, it seems, was waylaid by a few students asking for help with math problems, and by the time he’d turned around the kids had fled to “rescue” their teacher from the “supervillain.” They’re busy explaining it all to Hermann when Newt returns to the room, flustered and trying to mask it. 

“You let these children run wild, Newton, it’s not right!” Hermann splutters.

“No movies for a week kids,” Newt says sternly. He waits for the whining and whimpering to settle down before adding, “But the robots stay. Because Mr. Chau was so moved by your sincere apologies.”

The kids cheer, and resume playtime.

Newt grins at Hermann.

“Why do you look so pleased? Your children attacked a potential donor to the school!” Hermann hisses.

“I got a date with the guy,” Newt flashes the businesscard. “I’m gonna get l-a-i-d!”

Hermann blinks, opens his mouth to speak, thinks better of it, and collects his papers. “I am not going to dignify that with a response.” 

Newt smiles, kicks his feet up on the desk, and daydreams about Hannibal Chau. 

~*~

After the excitement of the morning, the battlefield of snack time is comparatively tame. Newt makes sure nobody steals each other’s cookies, and that peanut butter is nowhere to be found (three of the kids are allergic and there’s nothing more traumatic than stabbing a crying child with an EpiPen while everyone else stage-whispers about whether they’re gonna die.)

Strangely, when it’s story time, the kids aren’t as excited for the book as usual. No, they want to ask Newt about the mysterious man in the hallway they “bravely attacked” with water balloons. 

“Are you gonna marry Mr. Chowder?” Raleigh asks. 

Newt freezes, concentrating very hard on keeping the blush from his face. “I … no … we’re just … we’re just friends …”

Raleigh smiles in a manner far too old for his young face. “My mommy and stepdad were ‘just friends,’ and now they’re married.”

The other kids giggle. 

Newt manages to get them to stop singing “Mr. Chowder and Mr. Geiszler, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g” by the end of the day, but he can’t get them to forget it ever again.

Hannibal thinks it’s cute.


End file.
